Portsmouth Women return for pre-season for first time as professional squad
Portsmouth Women have returned for pre-season as the majority of the squad undergo their first sessions as full-time players.
The club posted on their dedicated Women’s X page [12 July] showing the players returning to Westleigh Park for their first summer training session.
After a rampant title win in the southern section of the Women’s National League last season, Jay Sadler’s side now prepare for a maiden campaign in the Championship – the second tier of the English women’s pyramid and just one division below the Super League (WSL).
Portsmouth Women officially in full-time era
With 2024-25 having formally begun, 13 players have now signed full-time contracts with Sadler’s squad.
This number could be set to rise now the team are back in training, as the majority begin their new chapter as professional players – and new recruits are set to follow.
After impressive investment from the Portsmouth ownership, the women’s department of the club have gone from amateur, to semi-pro and now fully professional in the space of just over a year, as they look to keep pace with the rest of the Championship clubs.
Fellow promoted side Newcastle United are throwing extensive investment at the project to drive their women’s team into the WSL with a number of ambitious signings, and this is now Pompey’s competition.
The difficulties currently surrounding Blackburn Rovers, a long-established women’s outfit at this level, show what can happen if clubs cannot keep pace [The Guardian, 3 July].
The move also allows for up to nine full-time staff at Pompey Women, with some positions still being recruited for.
In other Portsmouth news, competition arises for John Mousinho’s number one spot.
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